distended; distending; distends
1
: extend
the main outlines of the land yet lay clearly distended before them—
Norman Douglas
Norman Douglas2
: to enlarge, expand, or stretch out (as from internal pressure) : swell
a distended abdomen
: to become enlarged, expanded, or stretched out
causing the stomach to distend
Did you know?
The history of the word distend stretches back to the Latin verb tendere—a root whose kin have really expanded the English language. To find evidence of this expansion, look to words that include "tend" or "tent"; many have tendere, which means "to stretch, extend, or spread," in their family tree. Perhaps the simplest example is tent, which names a shelter made from a piece of material stretched over a frame. You'll also find the influence of tendere in extend, tendon, contend, portend, and tendency.
Examples of distend in a Sentence
an abdomen distended by disease
Recent Examples on the Web
Isaiah was also malnourished and dehydrated at the time of his death, with his small and large intestines markedly distended.
—Sam Tabachnik, Denver Post, 22 Mar. 2017
The pup’s abdomen was firm and distended.
—Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2025
The Most Exciting New Advances in Managing COPD With another strategy, diaphragmatic breathing, patients concentrate on distending their abdomen while taking in air.
—Matt Fuchs, TIME, 24 Oct. 2024
Abdominal bloating is when the stomach feels full of gas and may become distended (sticks out).
—Amber J. Tresca, Verywell Health, 14 Sep. 2024
His stomach was distended — a sign of severe malnutrition.
—Joe Snell, Washington Post, 30 July 2024
The dress had been constructed from a boudoir-ish bodice, which distended into a full-skirted ballgown, giving the impression of deliberate deshabillé, as if the design had been left unfinished on the mannequin.
—Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 17 Apr. 2024
Their heads are twizzling, their eyes bulging, their teeth ground to the gums, their bowels distended.
—Brian T. Allen, National Review, 23 Dec. 2023
The silhouettes are distended and reveal the skin beneath these big cobwebs of yarn.
—Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 6 Sep. 2023
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Sam Tabachnik, Denver Post, 22 Mar. 2017
The pup’s abdomen was firm and distended.
—Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2025
The Most Exciting New Advances in Managing COPD With another strategy, diaphragmatic breathing, patients concentrate on distending their abdomen while taking in air.
—Matt Fuchs, TIME, 24 Oct. 2024
Abdominal bloating is when the stomach feels full of gas and may become distended (sticks out).
—Amber J. Tresca, Verywell Health, 14 Sep. 2024
His stomach was distended — a sign of severe malnutrition.
—Joe Snell, Washington Post, 30 July 2024
The dress had been constructed from a boudoir-ish bodice, which distended into a full-skirted ballgown, giving the impression of deliberate deshabillé, as if the design had been left unfinished on the mannequin.
—Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 17 Apr. 2024
Their heads are twizzling, their eyes bulging, their teeth ground to the gums, their bowels distended.
—Brian T. Allen, National Review, 23 Dec. 2023
The silhouettes are distended and reveal the skin beneath these big cobwebs of yarn.
—Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 6 Sep. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Distend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/distend. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Medical Definition
distend
transitive verb
dis·tend
dis-ˈtend 
: to enlarge or stretch out (as from internal pressure)
distended veins
: to become expanded
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